Liverpool Opinion: Reds should offer Divock Origi a fresh contract
According to The Independent, Liverpool are set to offer Divock Origi an extension to his current contract at Anfield, which runs until the summer of 2020.
The Independent understands that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is very pleased with Origi’s development after the 24-year-old played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s comeback victory against Barcelona in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals at Anfield, netting a brace to help the Reds overturn a three-goal deficit from the first leg.
Origi rose to the occasion in the absence of star strikers Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino to propel the Reds to successive Champions League finals and his heroics have prompted Liverpool to reward him with a new deal, which would secure his long-term future at Merseyside.
The Belgian was close to leaving the club back in the January transfer window, with Premier League sides Wolves, Everton and Crystal Palace all expressing their interest in him. Dortmund and Wolfsburg were also keen to secure his services during the mid-season trading period but neither club was ready to match Liverpool’s massive valuation. (h/t Independent)
Origi arrived at Liverpool from Ligue 1 club Lille back in 2014 for a fee of
£10 million as one of the hottest young prospects in world football after impressing for Belgium at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He spent the 2014-15 season on loan at Lille and the returned to Liverpool at the start of the 2015-16 season.
Origi spent two seasons at Anfield with mediocre returns and never really realised his full potential as a striker before being shipped out on loan to Wolfsburg last season where he scored 6 goals. With his contract at Liverpool ticking down, time was running out for Origi at Merseyside and he was effectively playing for his future this season.
Well, Origi has only played a bit-part role for Liverpool this season, scoring 6 goals from 19 appearances in all competitions for the Reds. However, 4 of those goals couldn’t have come at a better time for the Reds, with Origi scoring crucial winners against Everton and Newcastle United in the Premier League to keep the club in the race for their first league title in 28 years.
And he surpassed all those heroics with an all-important brace against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals.
To put things into perspective, Liverpool should tie Origi down to a new deal given that he is still only 24 and has plenty of time on his side to make massive improvements to his game. Agreed, he hasn’t quite developed at the rate that Liverpool had hoped but he still remains a good enough striker to play a backup role in the squad.
Origi has not only scored some very crucial goals for the Reds this season but he has also managed to leapfrog the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Daniel Sturridge in the pecking order, with Klopp showing more faith in the Belgian’s abilities due to his work ethic and aggressive style of play.
While one would not expect him to dislodge Firmino in the first team, Origi’s presence gives Liverpool that X-factor in their attack, someone who can play as an off-the-bench impact player and make a telling difference in a short span of time.
Getting a different perspective on things, Origi can hardly be blamed for his lack of regular minutes at Liverpool this season. The likes of Salah, Mane and Firmino have done exceptionally well, and in all honesty, they haven’t given the likes of Origi and Shaqiri to get a consistent run in the team. Had the likes of Salah and Firmino misfired throughout the season, the fans would undoubtedly have seen a lot more of Origi in the first team.
Pace, power, tenacity, agility, athleticism and aerial ability- Origi has everything in abundance and his presence in the ranks adds a lot of depth and variety to Liverpool’s attack.
As opposed to Firmino, who is a tactical genius and a more elegant attacker, Origi’s biggest assets are his pace, strength, drive and determination, which makes him a very useful player, both in a centre-forward role and out wide on the left.
Looking at the statistics, Origi has quite a good record for Liverpool, having scored 27 goals and assisted a further 8 from 96 appearances in all competitions till date. If he can produce those numbers even when he is not playing to his full potential, one cannot help but just imagine what a fine player he would be when he emerges as the finished article.
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The Belgian is still a useful squad player at depth for Liverpool and signing a like-for-like replacement would cost the Reds a lot of money, which they can invest to improve other areas of their squad. That said, they should be patient with Origi and offer him an extension as a reward for his recent upturn of form at the club
